Kukla's Korner

Celebration- Ducks Style

Blog: KK Hockey By Paul

06/10/07 at 10:06 AM ET | Comments (0)

from the Anaheim Ducks,

More than 15,000 fans crowded into the Honda Center parking lot Saturday evening to celebrate the 2007 Stanley Cup Champions Ducks. Fans arrived as early as 8 a.m. to secure a spot for the celebration, which lasted from 6:30 p.m., rolled on as the sun went down and concluded just before 9 p.m.
After some pregame musical entertainment and video on the several giant screens located around the parking lot, the Ducks arrived via double-decker bus down Katella Avenue. They slowly made their way down the red carpet, stopping along the way to receive congratulations from fans who had staked out spots along the walkway.

continued

pic via Reuters

Filed in: Anaheim Ducks, | KK Hockey | Permalink
 

Rangers Interested In Drury

Blog: KK Hockey By Paul

06/10/07 at 09:55 AM ET | Comments (0)

from Larry Brooks at the NY Post,

As an over-35-year-old signing a one-year contract, Brendan Shanahan would be eligible to receive signing, games-played and performance bonuses that would allow the Rangers to exceed the cap by 7.5 percent or alternately be applied against the 2008-09 cap if they didn’t have that space. Thus, Shanahan, who played for $4 million last season, could sign a deal for a cap-applied base of $2 million with readily attainable bonuses to allow him to earn another $2 million without jeopardizing the Blueshirts’ position.
Folks around the league who presume Chris Drury will leave Buffalo to play in either L.A. or Colorado are overlooking the Big Moment Kid’s lifelong desire to play the Big Stage on Broadway, and the reciprocal interest the Rangers’ organization has in him.

more from Brooks, including the cap will now be around $48.5M…

Filed in: NHL Talk, NHLPA, New York Rangers, | KK Hockey | Permalink
 

Dave King Interested In Columbus Job

Blog: KK Hockey By Paul

06/10/07 at 09:48 AM ET | Comments (0)

from the Columbus Dispatch,

In 1997, Dave King moved to Japan and helped get the country’s fledgling hockey program off the ground in time to play host to the Olympics in Nagano.
In 2000, he became the Blue Jackets’ first coach.
Since being fired in 2003, King, 59, has coached in Germany, Sweden and Russia. He spent two years in Siberia—willingly.
The man loves a challenge. And now, it seems, he’s ready for another one.
As the Blue Jackets’ search for a general manager drags on, King, according to a well-placed source in Canada, has made it known that he would like to be considered.

continued

Filed in: Columbus Blue Jackets, | KK Hockey | Permalink
 

Hi, I’m Wayne

Blog: KK Hockey By Paul

06/09/07 at 10:43 PM ET | Comments (0)

from the Arizona Republic,

There have been no strong indications on which way the Coyotes, who also have the 21st pick in the first round, are leaning, but a scenario that unfolded at the Calgary Saddledome after Canada won the World Junior Championship might provide some insight.
Defenseman Karl Alzner, 18, of the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen, still was unwinding from that title run when he got a tap on the shoulder from the team trainer.
“He comes up to me and says, ‘Did you talk to Wayne?’ and I’m like, ‘Who?’ And he says, ‘Wayne Gretzky,’ and I said, ‘No, what are you talking about?’ ” Alzner recalled. “The trainer said he was asking for me, and my face went red. I said, ‘Are you serious?’
“He said he was in the hall, so I walk out and I’m thinking, ‘Please don’t let this be a joke, please let this don’t be a joke.’ And all of a sudden, a guy says Wayne wanted to talk to me, congratulate me. Wayne comes over and says, ‘Hi, I’m Wayne Gretzky.’ So I say, ‘Yeah, I’m Karl.’

more & check out the video profile on Karl Alzner...

Filed in: d, | KK Hockey | Permalink
 

A Matter Of Taste

Blog: KK Hockey By Paul

06/09/07 at 07:22 PM ET | Comments (0)

from Jim Kelley at Sportsnet,

But today’s NHL is not as simple as the follow-the-leader days of yore.
In today’s NHL, success is often dictated by what the rules are, how long they will be enforced, what the competition committee decides every offseason and what Senior Vice President and Director of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell determines he likes or wants to see in the game.
Never was that more evident than when midway through the regular season the kind of hockey that made fast skating, good puck handling teams gave way to the bigger, badder teams that played a more physical game; and adopted a more punishing approach to attacking the net.
It’s a part of the reason the two best teams in the regular season—Buffalo and Detroit—didn’t make it to the finals. It’s a part of the reason the Ducks beat the Ottawa Senators with ease.

read on

Filed in: NHL Talk, | KK Hockey | Permalink
 

Will Anyone Bite On Gerber

Blog: KK Hockey By Paul

06/09/07 at 07:11 PM ET | Comments (0)

from the Ottawa Citizen,

On the flip side, Emery’s success and Gerber’s struggles put the Senators into a major pickle in how to deal with both goaltenders this summer.
Is it reasonable to expect Emery to come back as the established number one netminder, perhaps playing for considerably less money than the guy who is sitting on the bench? Gerber has two years and $7.4 million remaining on his contract.
Stay tuned. General manager John Muckler will certainly try to trade Gerber to a team in need of goaltending, a team which believes Gerber’s slow start was simply a blip on his resume. That said, it’s an awfully expensive gamble for another club to take.

more on the Sens including Emery played with an injured wrist…

Filed in: Ottawa Senators, | KK Hockey | Permalink
 

Kings Goaltending Situation

Blog: KK Hockey By Paul

06/09/07 at 06:25 PM ET | Comments (0)

from Inside the Kings by Rich Hammond (Kings beatwrtier),

I know there’s a lot of support for bringing over Giguere, but I’ll be stunned if it happens. The fact that the Kings signed Ersberg out of Sweden tells me that they’re going with LaBarbera, Cloutier and Ersberg (if needed)....
Now, if we’re talking about Manny Fernandez, who has two years left, then I might be able to see that.

more on these topics…

Filed in: Los Angeles Kings, | KK Hockey | Permalink
 

The Other Brother- Part 2

Blog: KK Hockey By Paul

06/09/07 at 01:42 PM ET | Comments (0)

from Terry Jones of the Edmonton Sun,

Gary Bettman has his autograph on all the NHL pucks.
Jeffrey Pollack has his signature on all the playing cards.
Bettman is the commissioner of the National Hockey League. Pollack is the commissioner of the World Series of Poker.
The question is, which brother is heading up the most successful outfit?
You read that right.
Brother.
Gary Bettman and Jeffrey Pollack are brothers.

continued

Filed in: Hockey Related Stories, | KK Hockey | Permalink
 

Where Is The Outrage

Blog: KK Hockey By Paul

06/09/07 at 01:36 PM ET | Comments (0)

form the AP via Sports Illustrated,

Game 1 of the NBA finals drew the lowest rating ever for an opening-game in prime time, dropping 19 percent from last year.
The San Antonio Spurs’ 85-76 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday night earned a 6.3 rating and 11 share on ABC. The previous low was a 6.4/11 in 2003.
Last year’s Game 1 between Miami and Dallas earned a 7.8 rating and 14 share.

thanks to a KK reader for the pointer…

Filed in: NHL Media, Hockey Broadcasting, | KK Hockey | Permalink
 

The Other Brother

Blog: KK Hockey By Paul

06/09/07 at 10:36 AM ET | Comments (0)

from the LA Times,

“I’ve played for it three times and, you know, I wasn’t able to touch it,” said Rob, a forward who in his 13-year career had chased the Cup with the Florida Panthers and the Ducks in 2003.
That, of course, changed.
And now one thing is undeniable: Rob, who played brilliantly in the Ducks now-vaunted checking line, is no longer in Scott’s shadow.
As big brother handed the Cup to him that night, Rob was awash in emotion.
“I couldn’t have written anything up better than this,” he said.

more (reg. req.)

Filed in: Anaheim Ducks, | KK Hockey | Permalink
 

« Previous       ‹ First  < 6091 6092 6093 6094 6095 >  Last ›      Next »